Rubble to Ruin
by DCFanatic4life
Summary: Dolph thought he'd finally made it into the main event, that he was finally one of the top guys...then one wrong word, and it's all taken away. What does he do next? Dolph/AJ...sort of...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the people or characters in this story. The people own themselves and the characters belong to WWE. This story won't feature anything too crazy so feel free to read it.**

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A/N: Hey, so I recently got a request from lfrost for a story involving Dolph getting de-pushed and his subsequent promos on the app with regards to his spot. So this is the request to that story filled, and I hope that you'll enjoy it, and please review and tell me if I should continue or not, and if you want to be brutal, I always welcome it, thanks. :)

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"You're going to get yourself into trouble."

"How much more trouble can I get myself into?" Dolph asked with a sardonic laugh. "Tell me, realistically, how much worse can it get?"

"Um, does your buddy, Zack Ryder, ring any bells?" AJ asked him, hanging onto his arm. Dolph was playing with fire at this point, and they both knew it, but she couldn't stop him from being himself. Ever since their onscreen breakup, it was more difficult to rein him in. When they were together, he was extra cautious because he knew anything he said would reflect on AJ, but now that they were apart, he could say what he wanted.

Not that ever thought he said anything that was over-the-top insulting towards anyone. He played a character, a cocky jackass who hated everyone but himself, and thought he was better than everyone, and he played that up when he did interviews. It wasn't like he hated Randy Orton, but apparently talking anything slightly negative (it wasn't even really negative in his opinion, and the opinion of many people) about the champion was grounds for being treated like you had the plague.

"I might as well start my own youtube show," Dolph told her, and she groaned, pulling him into a nearby hallway, away from the foot traffic. Now, AJ was pretty tiny, so she couldn't actually pull him anywhere, but he went willingly because she was his best friend, and he cared about her enough to let her think she could pull him anywhere.

He still wasn't sure how AJ got the moniker of being his best friend. It all happened so quickly he sometimes joked that she drugged him and brainwashed him, but erased his memory of the event. By thinking that scenario, it proved that she talked to him way too much about comic books because that was something straight out of some nefarious villain's evil plan.

He wouldn't classify them as friends before their storyline started with one another. They were acquaintances, both being friends with Kaitlyn, but as for being friends just the two of them, no, they weren't. They didn't hang out, never had in-depth conversations. They were restricted to head nods in the hallway or the occasional spoken hello in passing.

Then they were put together, and if there was such a thing as a whirlwind friendship, that's what theirs was. Traveling together, working together, doing events together, hanging out together, eating together, it pushed them into an unexpected yet welcome friendship. He couldn't imagine his life without her buzzing around him like a little bee. She somehow made a niche for himself in his life, and for that he was actually quite thankful.

AJ sighed as she held him by the upper arm. Her grip was tight, but her hands were tiny so it didn't hurt at all. "Dolph, you're not in that bad a position."

"AJ, I have no position," he told her, "I might as well be on the bottom of the face list." He was referring to the talent list that came with every script for every show, and it was like a popular list that came out every week, everyone scrambling to see where they were ranked. At this time last year, he'd been near the head of the heel list, and just a few months ago, he'd been at the top under champion, and now, they might as well just keep him off the list.

AJ pursed her lips as if weighing her words. She opened her mouth for a moment before closing it again. It formed a thin line, one of worry and frustration, but nothing could match his own frustrations. "They might find a space for you in the whole Authority angle they're doing now."

"They might, but I doubt it, I think they want me away from that, it's going to Daniel," Dolph shrugged, "I can't hate him for that, he's worked just as hard as I am, and he deserves to reap those rewards. You know what the worst part is?"

"What?" AJ asked, probably just to appease him or to give her time to think of an attack argument.

"The crowd still cheers for me," he told her, "they still want me out there, they still want it, and I know, I _know_ that management doesn't even care. They could cheer me louder than anyone, and they still wouldn't care. And for what? Because I said one thing about Randy, and suddenly I'm being chastised for it and my push is taken away?"

"You'll get there again," she said lamely, "you'll make it."

"Will I?" Dolph let out an incredulous snort. He looked off, not meeting her eye, and she tried to move into his line of sight, but he moved his eyes again. "I've been doing this for almost ten years, AJ, and I still haven't made it. I did my time, I was a caddy, a fucking cheerleader, I put in the work, and because I'm not 6'4, I'm never going to make it. I set records in college, I was amazing, but it doesn't even matter."

"Dolph, you talk like you want to leave," AJ commented, fear pervading her voice. She didn't know what she'd do if Dolph left.

"I'm not saying that…yet," he added, "I'm not saying I'm going to leave, but it's just so damn frustrating. I'm not where I want to be, and I'm not where I think I _should_ be, and so why do I come into work? I go out there, I have a five minute match where I usually get squashed, and that's it? I'm supposed to be satisfied with that?"

"Please, please don't run your mouth," she begged him, knowing that he tended to do that. It wasn't that he was a hothead, and he wasn't normally a complainer, but people could only take so much pushing before they started to push back. She'd noticed it on his Twitter feed, tweets that voiced his frustration, and if he wasn't careful, that too was going to come back to haunt him.

"It really doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters to me, you're going to get yourself in more trouble," she reminded him.

"Why don't you just go find your boyfriend and leave me alone," he told her, not to be malicious, but there was nothing she could say right now to convince her that he was anywhere near where he should be.

"Forget him," AJ waved her hand in the air like she was literally shooing him away. "I'm focused on you right now."

"Look, it's okay, I'm not going to quit, and I'm not going to do anything stupid. I'll just sit back here like a good, little boy and live tweet Raw or something, I guess. I mean, no big deal that I'm not booked and Los Matadores and 3MB are, no big deal at all."

AJ frowned, "It's just one week."

"Yeah," he said, but was unconvincing. "Look, AJ, I appreciate you and everything you do for me, I really do, you're like the one who always thinks I'm going to get what I deserve, but I think we need to come to terms with the fact that it's not."

"I refuse to believe that."

"And that's why I love you," he told her, cupping her face in his hands. She gave him an endearing look, "but you're a winner, and you're continuing to win and do well and you should be focusing on that. I'm super proud of you."

"Thanks," she said, "but—"

He pulled away and shook a finger at her. "No buts, okay, look, you are a champion, and you need to focus on yourself for once."

"But—"

"Stop with the buts, well, not with your butt, you can continue with that one," he told her and she laughed and shook her head. "You're actually booked tonight so get out of here, go find your opponent and talk the match then go find that asshole you're dating and, I don't know, do whatever it is you two do."

"I would say that he's not an asshole, but he calls himself an asshole, so I guess you're right about that," she shrugged. "You going to be okay?"

"If you mean, am I not going to go straight to management and take a shit all over them and quit the company while giving everyone the middle finger and calling Randy a stupid motherfucker, no, I'm not planning on doing that."

"Good," she said, hugging him quickly, "I'll see you later!"

"I'll be around," he said as she dashed off, probably to go grab her title. He laughed and shook her head. AJ was one of those people who wanted everyone around her to be happy and hated to see people upset. He knew she'd been giving Kaitlyn some pep talks because Kaitlyn was feeling progressively lower ever since losing the title. Management kept promising her she was going to be put in a program, but it had yet to come to fruition, and he knew that she was getter frustrated. He wondered why it always seemed like his friends were getting the short end of the stick. Maybe he just needed to befriend new people.

He stepped back into the main hallway and nearly bumped into Miz. Here was another guy that the company didn't use properly, but then, at least Miz did have his one moment of WrestleMania glory (that he never shut up about). But now, Miz was more like a novelty, "What were you doing over there, making out with AJ?" Miz wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"How many times do I have to tell you that we're just friends?"

"One more time?" Miz shrugged.

"She's also taken," Dolph pointed out. He knew Miz was just razzing him as was his wont. That's what they did with one another, they teased each other, mercilessly most of the time, and for some reason, Miz thought it was hilarious that he was best friends with AJ now.

"For now," Miz joked, implying that AJ's relationship would fail. Dolph rolled his eyes. "Hey, how'd that date go last week, what was her name again?"

"Angela," Dolph said, "and boring. She was boring, I'm never going to take any advice from your fiancée ever again. If those are the types of people that Maryse finds interesting, you are in for quite the shock when you get married."

"I was shocked when Maryse agreed to marry me, everything from here on out is a piece of cake."

"True, still wonder if she needs glasses or something," Dolph said.

"So really, what were you and AJ talking about?" Miz brought the subject back around to him and his petite friend.

"About me not being booked, me being punished, me being nothing around here, you know, business as usual," he said, "sometimes I really wonder if I've already peaked and this is it. I'm in my prime and being wasted."

"Not booked tonight?"

"Nope, I should be used to it. AJ is worried that I'm going to quit or leave or say something to get myself fired," Dolph explained. Sometimes, he wondered if that might not be the best thing for him. He had other interests outside wrestling. True, wrestling was his first love, but in order for a relationship t work, shouldn't there be equal give and take? If he gave it his all, he felt like he should at least get something in return.

He could go back to law school if he wasn't here, not that he thought being a lawyer was particularly exciting, but he knew that he could go into that field if necessary. Comedy was a calling he'd felt for a long time, and if not here he wouldn't hesitate to start doing more stand-up and seeing if he had a future in it.

AJ's words rang in his head though. He'd promised her he wouldn't do anything stupid and he wouldn't quit. Even though sometimes leaving felt like the right choice, especially now, he knew that he couldn't just leave like that. He still had the fans' support, and they motivated him to keep doing this, but what was the breaking point? What was the limit to what he could take?

And how close was he to that?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for the feedback, everyone, and just as a reminder for my stories, I update on rotation, so whatever's next is what I update, just so you know. Hope you enjoy and continue to review. :)

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"Hey, I thought the boyfriend would be here."

"He's actually sleeping," AJ said, gesturing towards the seat across from her. Dolph took it gratefully, slouching down into it a little bit.

"Wow, he actually _sleeps_? I thought that he just kind of took a twenty minute nap then was good to go," Dolph told her, and she rolled her eyes. "What? He's the one that says he never sleeps."

"Where's Mike, I thought he was joining us," AJ said, "or wait, is he like still on the phone with Maryse?"

"Would you have expected anything less?" Dolph asked. "He wants to be involved in that wedding planning, so he's going over something with her about it. It should be nice, you coming?"

"I don't know if Punk wants to go."

"You can come with me," Dolph shrugged, "I don't have a date to it, and I don't really know a lot of their friends since we don't hang out much outside of work, only when I'm in LA, and that's only once a month."

"Sounds good," she said, picking up her menu. "Is he coming down when he's done?"

"Maybe, I'm not sure, he just said it was an emergency about getting the flowers delivered out there, it's going to cost more to get them from the US, I don't know, I wasn't really clear about it."

"Weddings, ugh," AJ stuck out her tongue. She was never one for weddings, at least not any she had to be involved in. She knew she was going to be a bridesmaid for Kaitlyn, but she figured Kaitlyn's wedding wasn't going to be a typical wedding, so she'd probably have a good time.

"Welp, I guess someone's not going to get married," he joked, looking down at his menu, "oh, Zack might stop by, I talked to him last night, mentioned we'd be having breakfast, he might come."

"Cool," AJ said, "I don't mind having him here, makes it seem less like a date."

"Oh yes, having a date with a taken woman, that's right up my alley, I _will_ be paying though since I invited you to breakfast," Dolph told her. She didn't even try to argue because she knew it was futile with him. There was no use in trying to argue with him over it.

"So how are you doing?" AJ asked him. "Are you feeling better about…everything?"

"You mean about my job, let's not sugarcoat it. I'm not feeling better, but I'm not going to quit, I told you that already. You shouldn't worry about me anyways, even if I left, it's not like we'd stop being friends or anything."

She wasn't really worried about that. They'd become so close over the last year that she was fairly sure he was stuck with her forever, but not seeing him every week would be weird, and she also worried that if he did leave, he'd do so in such a fashion that he'd burn every bridge he had, and she didn't want him to do something that wouldn't allow him to ever come back if it came to that.

"I get that, but, so did you talk to any producers or anything about what you might have coming up?"

"Nope," Dolph told her, "they don't have anything for me right now. They keep telling me to hang tight, that something will open up, but I'm really starting to think they're not looking for anything for me."

"You're not the only one, that's what happens when you have a huge roster."

"I get that, but I was the World Champion earlier this year, months ago, and now I'm nothing? I just don't feel like I should have fallen that fast, and if it's because of something I said, I really feel like they need to tell me."

"Yeah, that would be nice, but that's not always how it works."

"Believe me, I know," he told her, "and that's why I'm so frustrated. Maybe I should schedule a meeting with Hunter."

"No!" she exclaimed abruptly, making Dolph's eyes widen. "I just mean that if you talk to Hunter, with your mouth, with the way you hardly ever censor yourself, you could do something to worsen things."

"I wouldn't, I like to think that if it came down to it, I would know how to handle myself professionally. I don't talk like I do to you with everyone, I promise. It would just give me a better idea of what's going on."

"But with Hunter?" AJ cringed at the thought. It wasn't that Hunter was a horrible person per se, but he wasn't exactly approachable either. Stephanie, she was great, she was perfect and warm and funny and sweet, but Hunter, not so much.

"Who else?"

"I don't know, but not him," AJ implored of him.

"AJ, why are you so concerned? I mean, I get it, you're my best friend and everything, but really, if you think this is somehow going to affect our friendship if I'm not here or if I get in trouble, it's really not. I will still be your best friend, I always will be."

"I can't explain it really, I just…I worry about you, that's all," she said, but then was saved from the conversation as Punk and Zack walked in together. "Well there's a sight for sore eyes."

Dolph glanced over his shoulder and saw the two of them walking in, "Oh, our dates showed up."

AJ giggled, "Stop."

"Hey, you guys," Dolph waved them over, "nice of you to both join us."

"I can't stay," Zack said, "just came by to pick up a banana. I need to hit the gym."

"Because you have so much stuff to do at the show tonight?" Dolph asked, and Zack glared at him. Dolph shrugged and gave him an impish look. They were pretty much in the same boat, so it was just gentle teasing. Okay, so they weren't exactly in the same boat. Zack's star rose and fell quicker than you could blink. At least Dolph was always kind of middling.

"Shut up, asshole," Zack hit him in the back of the head. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

Punk sat down next to AJ, and kissed her cheek. "Suddenly feeling like the awkward third wheel."

"It's because you are," Punk said, glancing at the menu in front of him, "so why don't you get the hell out of here?"

"Shut up," AJ nudged him in the side. "What are you getting, Dolph?"

"Food, and Punk, I'm paying," Dolph told him.

"Cool, I'm carbo loading, so if I get three steaks, now you know why," Punk joked with him. "Oh, so I think I might be getting back into the title picture. I was talking to Trips about it, hopefully they will, I think I want the main event at WrestleMania."

Dolph bit his tongue. It wasn't that he didn't like Punk, he did like him, sort of, at the very least, he tolerated him for AJ's sake. Times like this, though, he was reminded how spoiled Punk was, and that led him to thinking about how spoiled other guys like Randy and John were, and he wondered if they really, truly appreciated where they were in the company while the guys behind them busted their asses just to make sure that they kept their jobs.

"It's a little early to be thinking of that," AJ said, trying to change the subject because she knew that Dolph was hearing this and thinking about how much he didn't have. Punk sometimes didn't think before he spoke, and this was a prime example of it. She almost wished he hadn't shown up.

"It's never too early to think of WrestleMania plans. You're obviously still going to be champ, there's nobody good enough for you to drop it to, and they'd be crazy to do that to you. You'll get your WrestleMania moment this year."

AJ felt like she'd had one last year with Dolph. So it wasn't win, but it was just being out there for more than a few seconds that really made it a moment for her. Plus, she was out there with her best friend. How could you top that? She was probably still going to be the title holder at WrestleMania, and while it was going to be incredible, she had a moment already, and she didn't want to undersell it.

"I had one, Dolph and I had one, even if we lost," she grinned over at him, and he gave her a grateful look. "I think it's way too early to think of that, let's get to Survivor Series first. That's what we should worry about right now, what we're doing then."

His face softened, and she found herself smiling a little bit at him. "Yeah, I guess you're right," Punk didn't seem to notice, and Dolph and AJ stared at each other a little bit more. "Oh, hey, what are you doing now, Ziggler?"

"Nothing much," Dolph said, "I mean, I thought about talking with Hunter about it, see where I'm at in the company, try to get an idea of where I'm going. I really don't know right now, kind of sucks."

"I've been there, you just have to fight your way through it, make it so you're invaluable to them," Punk shrugged. "If you're good enough, they can't keep you down forever, you know what I mean, and if they don't listen, make them listen."

"See, that's true," Dolph felt AJ kick him lightly in the shin while saying that, "he's got a really good point, if they don't listen, if management won't listen to you then you have to somehow make them listen."

"How? I mean, Punk, you got time on the mic, I never get time on the mic and if I do, they practically write it all out for me like I'm a child."

"It's probably because they're too afraid that you're going to say something they don't want to hear, that's what they did with me. They tried to make it so I couldn't go out there and call them out. But I did it anyways."

"You should try the same thing."

Punk nodded, "I think you're one of those guys they won't get rid of, I really do. I mean, you came up in the company, they love that, plus people like you enough and you probably sell enough merchandise that they wouldn't get rid of you. They're dumb about storylines, but they're smart about what makes them money."

"I guess it's worth a shot," Dolph said, thinking about it. It couldn't hurt, he supposed, if he just got out what he felt, said the things that he'd been too afraid to say. If he said them, would it mean anything to anyone, would management even listen. It wasn't like he could grab a microphone and go sit on the ramp. That wasn't his style anyways.

"It's totally worth a shot," AJ nodded eagerly. "You're the show-off, that's what you always call yourself, and this would be a way to do it, just, you know, you should just talk about yourself and not really anyone else, like, you can do it in a way that doesn't make you get into more trouble."

"She thinks I'm purposely getting myself into trouble," Dolph explained.

"Ahh, I see. She does know you're a grown man, right?"

"I'm not sure she does."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here, that's not cool," AJ said. "I don't think you're purposely doing it, I just think you're not exactly careful about it. You need to think before you speak, that actually can apply to both of you. I somehow surround myself with guys who have no filter at all."

"Don't censor yourself that much, I mean, don't swear or anything," Punk told him, "but get your frustrations out there, it gets more people on your side, more people on your side means more cheers, and they'll hear that."

"Thanks for the advice, bro," Dolph said, actually appreciating it. It didn't hurt to hear from someone who'd sort of been there. He just had to make sure that he got his shot by any means necessary. He had a voice, and it was time to get it heard by the people.

He just needed to find an outlet.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why is it I'm friends with people in the same position as me?"

"Because you're unable to suck up properly," Miz told him.

"I'm just not a suck-up," Dolph said, "I never have been, I don't ever think I could be. I mean, I guess I should start being nicer to the higher-ups, but why should I when they treat me like shit?"

"Because they might stop treating you like that and actually give you a push," Miz told him as he took a sip of his water. "You never know what might resonate with them. I know that Punk told you to act like you owned the joint or something, but I don't think you should listen to someone who plays the game like he does."

"What do you mean? I thought his advice was pretty sound," Dolph shrugged a shoulder. He'd been mulling over Punk's advice for a few days now, and he couldn't say it was bad. He looked at what Punk did, and he looked at where Punk was now. Punk could pretty much dictate whatever he wanted at this point. He had a bus he traveled on, he didn't work every house show, getting entire weekends off just because he asked. He could dictate who he wanted to feud with, and just overall, he was in a position where he could do whatever he wanted with little to no consequences.

"I mean that the dude plays the politics better than anyone."

"How so?" Dolph wanted to hear this one. Miz was known for his overblown drama, and this sounded like it was going to be a doozy. Sure, he and Punk were pretty much only friendly because of AJ, but he didn't ever see Punk playing politics like some people, John Cena and Randy Orton coming to mind.

"Dude, the guy made it so that they couldn't do anything to him. He says he's anti-establishment or whatever he claims, but he uses his popularity to get what he wants. He threatens to quit because he knows that they won't let him walk, and he uses that."

"I don't think that's what he does," Dolph said.

"That's exactly what he does," Miz said, "He doesn't like you, he doesn't want to work with you. If the guy is so on your side, so into your well-being that he gives you advice, why doesn't he request to feud with you."

"Even if he did, they wouldn't do it," Dolph responded, "they hate me right now, management wants to forget that I even exist. They want to erase me pretty much. I mean, it's hard to believe that earlier this year, I was the champion, I had the hottest diva on my arm, and everything was perfect. I mean, how do you go from that to where I am right now?"

"Dude, I main-evented WrestleMania and look at me now."

"At least you had that," Dolph said, "I barely got a title reign. Most of it was spent at home watching the shows and wishing I could be there."

"You don't know what the future holds, man, you never know what's going to come along," Miz tried to cheer his friend up. Dolph was really getting to the point where Miz was worried his friend would just up and quit. Dolph was a resilient guy and would end up on his feet, but he didn't want his friend to quit his dream.

Dolph let out a snort, "Yeah, of course."

"Look at me and Maryse, I never thought I could have someone like her. When I first met her, I thought she was way out of my league—"

"She still is out of your league," Dolph told him the truth. He still wasn't sure what Maryse saw in him.

"So is AJ," Miz shot back at him.

Dolph rolled his eyes. "Are you back on that shit? AJ and I are friends, that's it, that's all, I hang out with her and her boyfriend. You just bought into the two of us like everyone else did."

"Yeah, because two people who are just trying to pull off an elaborate _wrestling_ storyline go to the Eiffel Tower together and take pictures wrapped around each other, that's exactly what friends do," Miz pursed his lips as he looked at his friend. He was convinced something happened or should happen between AJ and Dolph. He never mentioned it to AJ so as not to embarrass Dolph, but he was so positive something was there.

Dolph rolled his eyes, "I love her, but she's not my type."

Miz kept his mouth shut because whenever he described his "perfect woman," Miz could easily fit AJ into the mold, but this was a fight they often had, and it always ended with neither one winning, so it was better to just keep his mouth shut about this one. Maybe he was wrong, but he didn't feel wrong, and his gut was usually pretty good about telling him what was what.

"Okay, but seriously, I wouldn't take Punk's advice."

"He just said I need an outlet, I can find an outlet."

"What? The higher ups aren't going to give you the mic."

"I can do it elsewhere."

"You don't have your youtube show anymore, and if you say more crap in any interviews, you're going to get yourself fired."

"I have the app."

"The app?"

"Yeah, the app, I don't think management even really pays attention to what happens on there. They don't care, so I can say what I want, start something, a grassroots campaign if you will. I can get all the fans behind me."

"Then what?"

"Then I don't know, I go out there and demand the title or something, but I have to get it to the point where they can't ignore me. If Daniel freaking Bryan can do it, so can I, and I can do it better because I'm better."

"You want to be Daniel Bryan now, I thought you wanted to be Punk," Miz joked.

"I want to be Dolph Ziggler, champion. If I can get them behind me like they're getting behind Daniel, there's no stopping me." Daniel was only getting this push because of the fans, and Punk was right, he needed to get that kind of support, and he could do it. He already had most of the fans on his side, and when he left AJ and E behind, the crowd got behind him even more. It really started with him winning the title. With his story, his struggle, and finally his triumph, it was practically a Hollywood movie.

"Good luck with that," Miz said. "My match is up next, I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, I'll buy you dinner."

"Cool, later, man," Miz pat him on the shoulder. Miz had the opening match at this house show, and he had the third match so he still had some time before his match. He started to think about getting on the app on Monday and just saying what he felt. If he could show his passion, if he could show the fans that he was someone they wanted to get behind, maybe he could really start gaining momentum. Management couldn't ignore guys who got themselves over. Zack had his chance, although he blew that one, and Daniel was getting his now, and he couldn't see Daniel blowing his chance, so he could be next.

He let out a breath and hopped off the crate he'd been sitting on. He wasn't even in his ring gear, and he needed to do that immediately or he'd miss his cue. He went to the locker room and changed, sitting in front of his locker before a hand slapped him hard in the back. He looked over his shoulder at E, who was wearing a shit-eating grin knowing he was leaving a handprint on his friend's back.

"AJ's looking for you."

"So you had to hit me to tell me that?" Dolph asked. E nodded enthusiastically.

Dolph got up, throwing a towel around his neck and leaving the locker room. AJ was leaning against the wall across from the door. "Hey, there you are. I've been looking for you."

"This is what happens when your boyfriend takes weekends off, huh? You can't leave me alone," he joked. She shrugged her shoulders like that was the truth. "So what's up, E told me you were looking for me."

"I thought of the perfect way to get your point across," she said excitedly. "I've been wracking my brain trying to think of ways to get you to where you need to be, and I wasn't about to just abandon the idea."

"Are you my manager again?"

"I might as well be, you need me."

"I'll be the judge of that when you tell me what your great idea is."

"_Brilliant_ idea, thank you very much," she shoved him lightly in the shoulder.

"Oh, my apologies," he gave a deep bow, "so what is it?"

"The app!" She told him. "You have to go on the app. I thought of where you could talk and where you could get to people but not have the restrictions of the show. I know that the app isn't watched as much as people up top would like, but with the internet, if you have one classic promo, it spreads. It'll be like Zack with his show, except better because it's you, and I didn't really find his show funny, maybe it went over my head or something, I don't know, weren't you in it, I don't think I made it that far, you were probably the best part of it, but app!"

"Wow, that's a really great idea…that I had days ago," he told her, and her face fell so hard that he almost wished he could take the sentence back so he could just tell her that it was a great idea. "Sorry, it _is_ a great idea."

"That you beat me to," she scrunched up her mouth. "I'm sorry, I just thought that it would be a good idea, and…"

"No, it is, and you're right, if it's good enough, it'll spread, so I just have to be good enough," he told her, "I really have to think about what I have to way, what I want to get across. I need the people to know exactly how much I love this business."

"No, you can't plan it," she held his arms as if that would make him see her point better. "You just have to go for it. If you plan it, it's going to sound planned, so you just have to say what you're thinking at that moment, it'll make more of an impact."

"You think so?"

"That's what I did with my pipebombshell. I just went out there and I said what I thought and felt, and look how that resonated."

"True, it also earned you a few enemies." She waved her hand away because that didn't matter. "I guess I can do that, I mean, you know more than most how I can talk."

"And I know more than _anyone_ how passionate you are about this sport. Now you just have to show everyone else what I already know." She looked so eager to see him do this that he wanted to do it right now, but it wasn't Raw. He nodded his head and she hugged him. "You're going to be great, you will know what to say, and everyone will see. It's going to be great, and when you're champion again, I'm going to be the first one backstage waiting for you."

"You are?"

"Someone has to be there to tell you, 'I told you so,' and I want that person to be me. You've hit a rough patch, but when you hit bottom, you bounce back. That's something you do better than most. Tomorrow, we're getting it, got it?"

"Thanks for being in my corner."

"That's what best friends are for."


	4. Chapter 4

_"_I_ am the best thing going around here, and I'm going to make sure everyone knows it!"_

"I don't know," AJ tapped her chin, "you needed more."

"More what?" Dolph said, glancing over his shoulder at her. She was kneeling next to him on the couch of his hotel room while he sat hunched over his laptop, watching his promo from the app earlier that evening.

"Oomph?" she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know if you were believable enough, not like not believable, but like you need to channel more anger, I think, channel all the bottled up crap you've put up with."

"That's your advice?"

"It's not advice, I'm merely an observer," she said, sitting so her butt was hitting the heels of her feet. "I think it was good, I think you're going to get your point across, and I think people will start to take notice."

"It is on the app though, the app that everyone makes fun of," he said, trying not to get too down over it, but unlike the higher-ups, he was in tune with what the fans actually thought, and he knew that for the most part, people didn't want to touch the app let alone watch someone cut a promo on it, even if it were him.

His confidence was shot. That's what this was doing to him, that was the lasting effect. He'd always been described as overconfident. Even going into his first match at five years old, he could remember telling his mom on the drive to his meet all the ways he was going to beat up the other guy. His mother had to tell him to calm down and channel that into the wrestling. Maybe that's where he got it from, maybe it was the one piece of advice that kept him driving forward when all he met with time and time again was a wall willing to push back.

He'd carried that confidence for years, hell, he'd had it when he was with AJ, constantly reassuring her that they'd both be huge, that they'd both make it. She had, he hadn't, and yup, confidence completely shot. "But it's also on the site," AJ reminded him, pointing towards the very screen where they were watching it. "People go to the site to watch stuff, believe me, I know because when I've had stuff on the app, people tell me they watch it."

"You've got boobs and an attitude and especially boobs, so of course people are going to pay attention to you, did I mention you have boobs?"

"Not very much," she scowled, "not that I need much, I'm perfectly fine the way I am, but it's not because of that. It's not because I have boobs." He tilted his head to the side just slightly and it was enough for her to amend, "Okay, so it's not _just_ about my boobs, and it's only some that are interested in them."

"You're a role model for the rest."

"Why did that sound sarcastic?" she asked suspiciously.

He shook his head and looked at her seriously. "It's not, believe me. You really are a role model for so many people, guys and girls. Your story is amazing, that's what makes you so endearing."

"Thanks," she blushed as she felt suffused with pride. "I just try my best."

"Me too, but unfortunately I'm just not as cute as you are," he shrugged like it was just a basic fact.

"I don't know," she shook her head slightly, "I think you're pretty cute." Then she slugged him in the arm as the next video started playing automatically on his laptop. It happened to be a little bit of his match from earlier. "You know, at least you know that you excel there, that you make people watch you there."

"I guess that's something," he watched himself wrestling and putting on a show and stealing it.

"I think that's part of what made you so popular, people just couldn't ignore your talent and drive, I still think they can't. I think that's going to propel you further. Nobody works harder than you, Dolph, we both know that, I've seen it firsthand."

"Thanks, coach," he said with a teasing lilt. He was about to say something else, but her phone rang. She picked it up from where it was sitting on the coffee table, and he watched as her mouth quirked to the side.

"I'll be right back," she told him, pushing herself up off the couch and taking a few steps into the bedroom part of his room. She didn't close the door but stepped to the side where he couldn't see her. He didn't want to look like he was eavesdropping so he put his laptop on his actual lap and started to check hockey scores to give himself something to do.

"No, I told you," he could hear AJ sigh in exasperation. "I said…no, would you please listen?"

From what Dolph could surmise from the conversation, it was her boyfriend on the other line, and she didn't sound too pleased with him. Dolph had long since stopped trying to analyze their relationship. At first, it'd seemed odd to him, but only because he knew the both of them, and knew that fundamentally, they were very different people. Over time, he'd just kept his mouth shut because if his friend was happy, he was going to let her be happy.

She didn't sound happy right now, but he had no reason to believe that things were necessarily bad between the two of them. Punk was just a hot-tempered person in general, and Dolph figured the only way to deal with him properly was to match him word for word. Not many people could do that, but AJ was a lot tougher than she seemed.

"I'm here right now, and I'm staying here, and I think you need to calm down," she hissed, and Dolph ducked his head down to focus on what he was looking at so that he wouldn't listen in on any more of this conversation. It was already getting uncomfortable on his end. "Bye."

AJ came back into the room, "Sorry about that, I didn't…sorry about that."

"I didn't hear anything."

"Bullshit," she laughed, "he said he'd be out until late then he comes back and I'm not there so suddenly I'm not allowed to be out because he's not out. I was like, um, no, I made plans, sorry."

"You know if it's an issue that you can just go back up to your room, I definitely won't be offended or anything."

"No, it's fine, he needs to learn," she went to the door and slipped on her ankle-cut Converse. "Come on, let's go to dinner, I'm starved."

"You sure?"

"Positive," she nodded assertively. "I made plans with you, and I intend to keep them. Besides, we can talk more about what you're going to do with those promos, I've seen more passion out of passion fruit."

"That makes no sense," he chuckled. "Besides, I think I was plenty passionate, thank you very much. This is about getting the fans behind me so that management knows I mean something to them. I think I accomplished that."

"It's a start," she said as they walked down the hallway to the elevator. "It's a good start, but you have to keep it up, create an uproar."

"You seem to have this all figured out, so what's next for me?"

"Fame, fortune, a girl on both arms," she joked. "Speaking of girls—"

"I feel like I just got bamboozled here," he interrupted her. "Why are you bringing up girls?"

"Because I have a friend—"

"Congratulations, that brings you up to, what, four or five now?" he asked and then winced as she slugged him in the arm. "Oww, you're so mean to me, but really, no girl talk or set-ups, please, I really just need to focus on my career right now. I need to get back to that place I was at before my concussion."

"You'll get there, but I worry about you putting too much focus on how much work sucks for you right now," she told him, walking a little quicker so she was ahead of him and turning around so he couldn't move. She pressed her hands to his chest to get him to stop walking and he stopped in front of her.

"You think I need to tone it down?"

"I think that sometimes you should be focusing on other things, when you're at home, let yourself stop thinking about work."

"Not going to happen," he tried to sidestep her, but she moved in front of him again. "AJ, I appreciate your concern that I'm not getting laid right now, but really, I should focus on how I'm going to become a champion again. Right now, they probably wouldn't even let me compete for the NXT championship, and this needs to take my focus. I'm sick and tired of being a basement dweller."

"It's one date with my friend."

"Is it Kaitlyn?"

"No, it's not Kaitlyn, she's really nice and funny, things you like, very quick-witted—"

"Kaitlyn?"

"No!" AJ responded. "She's taller than me—"

"Isn't everyone?" he smirked.

"And pretty, I think so at least—"

"You don't even think _you're_ pretty so your judgment on the subject is sketchy at best," he told her. Her blush told her that what he was saying was truth. "Yes, AJ, you're beautiful, get over it, one day I hope you look in the mirror and see what we _all_ see."

"You're my best friend," she blurted out, and the blush deepened, "I just mean that…"

"I'm your best friend, got it," he told her, winking at her. "Look, I really do appreciate that you're looking out for me, but work, it has to take precedence over my personal life, which is _fine_ by the way. I don't have trouble getting women if you're worried." Her nose scrunched up at that. "Sorry, too much, can't handle that your best friend is smooth with the ladies?"

"No, I was just picturing your version of smooth, one day, I hope you look in the mirror and see what a dork you really are," she mimicked his words with her own twist to them. "But if you change your mind, she's on the table."

"Really, she's on a table? I might have to reconsider."

"Gross," she laughed, taking her spot next to him again. "You don't want to fry your brain thinking about this though, okay, you shouldn't spend too much time thinking about it. You're going to just melt your circuits."

"I'm not going to melt anything except everyone's hearts," he batted his eyes cheesily. "I've spent too long at this to get pushed back now, it's like what Punk said, push them back, or should I not bring him up now since you guys were in a fight."

"That wasn't a fight, that's just how you have to talk to him sometimes, hard-headed man that he is," she rolled her eyes.

"Says the hard-headed woman."

"Spoken by the equally hard-headed man."

"I resent that."

"Won't even go on a date because work is too important, and people call me a workaholic," she told him, nudging him with her body. "It was one night, that's it, one night of fun and being free and possibly getting laid since I'm apparently _so_ concerned about that."

"If you weren't taken, and you wanted to offer your services."

"You couldn't afford me," she kidded. "Besides, I'm not really into men who are so into their work they can't even take a night off and have their best friends watch their promos just to critique every last second of them."

"Just guys who complain about everything."

"Ahh, you're lucky I love you," she told him, "and that I'm well aware of the complaining."

"Good, glad we're on the same page. Love you too by the way, since I didn't want to leave that hanging there," he told her, and he did love her. He loved her for everything that she was in his life, for everything she did for him, and the constant pillar of support she turned out to be. For all of her 5'2ness, she was a lot stronger than he'd ever have thought.

"Thank you for sparing me the embarrassment."

"So tell me more about this passion thing…"


End file.
